Railway-velocipede



(No Model.)

' G. H.'OOPP.

RAILWAY VELQGIPEDE. I No. 312,332. Patented Feb. 17, 1885.

NlTED Fries.

ATEN

CHARLES H. COPP, OF CLYDE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MARKS AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAILWAY-VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,332, dated February 17, 1885.

Application filed DecemberlO, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Corr, of Clyde, in the county of Oakland and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Velocipedes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction ofrailway-velocipedes; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and application of the driving mechanism, whereby a rotary motion is imparted to the drive-shaft, the same being assisted by the weight of the operator or operators; in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the frame for relieving the axle of the traction-wheels from all Weight which, through the driving mechanism, is imposed directly upon the wheels, and in the peculiar construction,arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device. Fig. 2is avertical longitudinal section on the line was, and Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line y y, both sections being taken fr'om Fig. 1.

In the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of thisspecification, A represents a suitable frame-work, to the rear corners of which are secured proper brackets B, upon which are 3' ournaled the rear bearing-wheels, C. The forward corners of the frame A are provided with the hangers D, in the lower ends of which are formed the bearings a, in which the drive-shaft E is journaled.

F represents the traction-wheels, which are provided with the tread and flange usual in car- Wheels, while their inner sides are recessed and have formed in them the inner annular tread or face, G. These wheels F are rigidly secured upon the outer ends of the axle H, journaled in boxes I, which have a free vertical play in open slots 1) in the hangers D.

J are rolling friction-wheels rigidly secured upon the outer ends of the drive-shaft E, and

are designed to rotate in frictional contact upon the inner tread or face, G, of the traction-wheels.

Kis a pinion secured upon the drive-shaft E at or about its longitudinal center, and this pinion meshes with alarger geared wheel, L, upon a short counter-shaft, M, properly j ournaled in boxes on the timbers c of the frame. The outer ends of the shaft M are provided with crankarms N, which are connected by means of the rods or bars 0 to the lower ends of the operating hand-levers P, fulcrumed to the seatframe Q, upon which the seat R is secured, and each of the crank-rods O is provided with a foot-rest, S.

T is a brake-shoe secured upon the outer end or arm of the brake-rod U, the opposite end of which is brought within easy reach of the foot of the operator. This brake-rod is pivotally secured to the frame A, as shown, and is provided with aspring, V, to keep the brake-shoe in an elevated-position, free from the tread of the wheel, except when it is depressed by the operator. It will be noticed that the driveshaftE is located in front of and below the plane of the axle H, bringing the point of contact between the wheels J and the inner tread of the traction-wheels F at about forty-five degrees in advance of the vertical axial center of the axle H. Bearing this in mind, together with the fact that the weight of the frame and operators rests directly upon the shaft E and not upon the axle, which has a free vertical movement in the hangers, the operation is as follows: The operator, seated upon the seat R, straddles the levers P, his feet resting upon the foot rests S, while he grasps the upper ends of the levers (which may be provided with a connecting-handle) with his hands. By now communicating an oscillating movement to the levers a'rotary motion is transmitted to the shaft E through the medium of the gear above described. This necessarily rotates the frictionwheels J, which are brought into close contact with interior tread, G, of the traction-wheels, and which would have a tendency to ride up such tread'or face G were it not for the fact that their position is a fixed one; hence the effect is to draw down and push forward upon such tread, compelling the traction-wheels to rotate and cause the device to advance. The weight of the operator and the power applied to the operating-levers are both communicated to the driving-wheels J, which remain constantly above the tread of the traction-wheels and in advance of their center of gravity, and hence if the weight be increased by more than one operator a less force-is required to be applied to the levers-in fact, but little more than would be necessary to keep the parts in motion after the device has been started. In starting, the operator may use both hands and feet for this purpose, pushing with the feet while pulling with the hands. To check or stop the forward movement the operator depresses the brake-rod with his foot, which brings the brake-shoe in contact with the tread of the-traction-wheel, with the usual effect obtained by such appliances.

While I have described and shown a railway-velocipede, I do not desire to be confined thereto in the application of my driving mechanism, as it is evident that there are various devices to which it may be applied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is' I 1. In a wheel-vehicle, a traction-wheel provided with an internal annular tread, in combination with arolling friction-wheel secured to a shaft journaled below and in advance of the] drive-shaft and adapted to be brought into frictional contact with said internal tread,

2. In a railway-velocipede, tl1e tractionwheels of which are provided with an interior annular tread or face, the axle having a free 40 vertical movement, in combination with rolling friction-wheels adapted to engage in frictional contact with the said interior treads of said traction-wheels, and located in advance of the vertical axial center of the traction-wheel and above said interior thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A railway-velocipede wherein the weight of the frame and operator is carried upon a drive-shaft journaled below and in advance of the main drive-shaft, and having secured to its ends friction-wheels which travel upon internal treads in the traction-wheels, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a railway-velocipede, the combination of the frame A, bearing-wheels O, hangers D, drive-shaft E, traction-wheels F, provided with internal treads, G, axle H, boxes I, rolling friction-wheels J, and the means for imparting a rotary motion to the shaft E, when constructed, arranged, and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

5. In a railway-velocipede, the combination of the frame A, bearing-wheels G, hangers D, drive-shaft E, traction-wheels F, axle H, boxes I, friction-wheels J, pinion K, gear-wheel'L, shaft M, crank-arms N, rods 0, levers 1?, seat R, and brake T, when constructed, arranged, and operating substantially in the manner and 70 for the purposes specified.

CHARLES H. GOPP.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. ScULLY. 

